Ponomaryov, Udaltsov form new opposition coalition

Its first action is expected to be a social march "For Rights of Muscovites" planned for March 2

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MOSCOW, February 5 (Itar-Tass) - State Duma member Ilya Ponomaryov of the Just Russia party and Left Front coordinator Sergei Udaltsov have announced the formation of a new opposition coalition.

Its first action is expected to be a social march "For Rights of Muscovites" planned for March 2.

A drawback of political actions was vagueness -- for everything good and against everything bad. And on January 13, when there was a concrete reason (against the ban for U.S. citizens on adoption of children from Russia), a mass inflow of people to streets was seen, Ponomaryov told a press conference. "Specific demands are needed to develop protest," he believes.

A social march is planned with such specific demands, Udaltsov said in his turn. These are removing all the "filters" for Moscow mayoral elections, increasing the number of Moscow Duma members to 110 people and lowering the barrier in elections to enter the legislature to three percent. The organizers also insist on major repairs of apartment building at government expense and approval of urban development decision by district referendums.

Udaltsov explained that the March 2 action will start the preparations for Moscow Duma elections scheduled for 2014 and the formation of people's list of candidates. He noted it was not an action of the Opposition Coordination Council. It is organized by civil activists. However, for the elections to the Moscow Duma, all the forces must be united -- the Coordination Council and political parties, for candidates not to interfere with each other.

It is important to agree -- one candidate from the united opposition for one constituency, Ponomaryov noted. "As soon as it comes to organizational formation, the unity is undermined," he noted.

Coordinator of the White Ribbon movement Igor Bakirov said marches for social rights were planned for March 2 in more than 30 cities.

No notice about the planned march in Moscow was given to the authorities yet. According to Udaltsov, the organizers would like demonstrators to go through boulevards and finish the march at the mayor's office with a "forum in the format of a meeting". Demonstrators will hold portraits of odious functionaries, but will not throw them to trash containers, but fly them into the air for the functionaries "just to leave us". "We want to have the march agreed upon for Muscovites to be sure they will not be arrested, beaten up or fined," he stressed.

The march organizing committee includes members of the Moscow Resettlers movement, environmentalists, deputies of Moscow municipal councils and activists of workers' unions.